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5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Depression
5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Depression While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed....
Depression Series (Part 3): What to Do with Those Antidepressant Side Effects?
Maria’s depression was difficult to treat. As you can recall, various medications had been tried to no avail. But after several months of treatment, Maria has eventually become stable on a combination of two antidepressants. She’s now able to do...
How Depression Effects Learning Disabilities
Depression and learning disabilities are frequently misunderstood. Learning disabilities and depression are common mental illnesses that affect millions everyday.
Studies has shown that children suffering with learning disabilities have...
Manic – bipolar depression facts and reality
Copyright 2005 David McEvoy
Manic depression - Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.
Some mornings can start with...
Never Lose Hope In Dealing With Your Fears And Depression
When your fears and depression have the best of you, it is easy
to feel that things will not get any better. This is not true.
There is much help available in today's society and the best way
to deal with your fears is to find effective ways to...
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Accutane Side Effects: Should Depression Be A Concern?
Medical professionals and acne-pestered adolescents have no doubts about the effectiveness of the severe acne drug isotretinoin. It’s the looming possibility of side effects such as depression and fetal damage that makes people uneasy when considering using this medication.
Accutane (isotretinoin) is one of Hoffman-LaRoche’s most popular and controversial pharmaceuticals. This week, a study published in the Archives of Dermatology vindicated isotretinoin from causing depression. In this report, Christina Y. Chia, MD, from Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, St. Louis, and colleagues examined whether patients with moderate to severe acne treated with isotretinoin experienced an increase in depressive symptoms compared with patients treated with a topical antibiotic, topical retinoid, and an oral antibiotic.
Dr. Chia found that “The use of isotretinoin in the treatment of moderate-severe acne in adolescents did not increase depressive symptoms. On the contrary, our study shows that treatment of acne improves depressive symptoms”.
Five years earlier, in 2000, the isotretinoin-depression link still appeared misleading. That time, the Archives of Dermatology posted study, headed by Dr. Susan S. Jick, from the Boston University School of Medicine, which found no evidence that isotretinoin increases the risk for depression, suicide, or other psychiatric disorders.
Even though isotretinoin finds ample support among dermatologists and psychiatrists, a host of parents, politicians and medical professionals hail isotretinoin as a medical misfortune.
For instance, Dr. David J. Graham, the Associate Director for Science and Medicine in FDA’s Office of Drug Safety, recently warned that Accutane should be taken off the market. And while there are few studies with any negative observations about isotretinoin, Dr. Douglas Bremner’s research at of the Emory University School of Medicine has linked isotretinoin treatment with changes in brain function. At the conclusion of this study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Dr. Bremner concurred with Dr. Graham’s view that isotretinoin proves too dangerous for human use. Dr. Bremner explains that to invoke depression, isotretinoin must influence the brain. During the
investigation, brain function of the subjects was measured using positron emission tomography (PET) before and after four months of treatment with isotretinoin. Isotretinoin treatment was associated with decreased brain metabolism in the orbitofrontal cortex- the area of the brain known to mediate symptoms of depression. Yet, there were no differences in severity of depressive symptoms between the isotretinoin and antibiotic treatment groups before or after treatment.
The pessimistic effects of isotretinoin also caught the attention of Diane K. Wysowski PhD. Dr. Wysowski noted that in June 2000, isotretinoin ranked among the top 10 drugs linked to depression and suicide attempts in the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System database. In 2001, Dr. Wysowski examined isotretinoin’s depression inducing potential and posted her findings in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Wysowski concluded that more studies of isotretinoin are needed.
She also advised patients and their parents to immediately report mood swings and symptoms that are suggestive of depression such as sadness, crying, loss of appetite, unusual fatigue, withdrawal, and inability to concentrate to their prescribing physician. These protective measures can avoid more serious side effects and permit appropriate treatment, including consideration of drug discontinuation and referral for psychiatric care.
While dissension among researchers still exists about whether or not isotretinoin causes depression, one idea most of them can agree on is that more research on the side effects of isotretinoin are desirable. If you are not in the mood for being an isotretinoin guinea pig, Geoffrey Redmond MD, author of The Good News about Women’s Hormones, suggests using hormone therapy and/or using Retin-A if isotretinoin seems too chancy for you.
About the Author
Health author and Stanford University graduate Naweko San-Joyz lovingly writes from her home in San Diego. Her works include “Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne” (ISBN: 0974912204) and the upcoming work “Skinny Fat Chicks, Why we’re still not getting this dieting thing” (ISBN: 0974912212) for release in June of 2005. For useful acne self-help articles visit http://www.Noixia.com
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Welcome to Depression.com |
Facts about depression, including how to manage it and how to live with this medical condition. |
www.depression.com |
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NIMH: Depression |
Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more ... Depression can also affect the physical health in men differently from women. ... |
www.nimh.nih.gov |
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NIMH: Depression |
National Institute of Mental Health presents a comprehensive series of articles on symptoms and management. Includes booklets of personal accounts and ... |
www.nimh.nih.gov |
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Clinical depression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder) is a state of intense ... By definition the symptoms are not as severe as with Major Depression, ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Great Depression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
The Great Depression was an economic downturn which started in 1929 (although its ... The Great Depression ended at different times in different countries; ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Dr. Ivan's Depression Central |
This site is Internet's central clearinghouse for information on all types of depressive disorders and on the most effective treatments for individuals ... |
www.psycom.net |
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Depression Screening Test |
Answer a few simple questions to determine if you are experiencing depressive symptoms. Provides a referral list and information on depression. |
www.med.nyu.edu |
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MedlinePlus: Depression |
From the National Institutes of Health; Depression (National Institute of Mental Health) ... Select services and providers for Depression in your area. ... |
www.nlm.nih.gov |
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Welcome to depression-screening.org |
Most people with depression, however, do not seek the professional help they ... The depression-screening.org web site is sponsored by the National Mental ... |
www.depression-screening.org |
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iFred - International Foundation for Research and Education on ... |
"This book can help those directly and indirectly touched by depression. ... iFred Brings New Hope to Depression with Thousands of Sunflowers ... |
www.ifred.org |
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Depression information and treatment |
Information about depression, depression treatment, and facts about depression. |
www.psychologyinfo.com |
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Depression |
Depression is a strong mood involving sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer. |
www.kidshealth.org |
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Depression Alliance web site with information about depression ... |
Information about the symptoms and treatment of depression from Depression Alliance, a UK charity for people with clinical depression and anxiety. |
www.depressionalliance.org |
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WebMD Depression Health Center - Learn the symptoms of depression ... |
Articles, links, and resources for sufferers of depression. |
www.webmd.com |
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Depression - Information and Support |
THE starting place for exploring Depression. Support forums, links, articles and more. |
depression.about.com |
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beyondblue: the national depression initiative |
Australian organisation provides information about depression to consumers, carers and health professionals. |
www.beyondblue.org.au |
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Using EFT for Depression, Teen Depression & Clinical Depression |
EFT's results for all forms of depression are often astonishing. In most cases the depressed feelings vanish or are materially reduced within a few minutes ... |
www.emofree.com |
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Depression |
The website for Depression. ... Please note that Depression is comprised of backfile volumes. Volume 4, Issue 2 (1996). Articles in this Issue: ... |
www3.interscience.wiley.com |
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Depression - MayoClinic.com |
Depression is more than just a bout of the blues. Fortunately, treatments are available. |
www.mayoclinic.com |
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Mental Help Net - Depression (Unipolar) |
Depression is one of the most common and most serious mental health ... Fortunately, there are many highly effective treatments for depression today that ... |
mentalhelp.net |
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